The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-07-01
TALMAGE AT HOME.
THE BROOKLYN PREACHER AS SEEN
IN HIS OWN HOUSE.


IN HIS OWN HOUSE.
Informal Greetings and Adieus of the
Pastor and His Wife-Helpfu1ness the
Great Object of Preaching.-The Music
and Services of the Church.
Especial Correspondence
BROOKLYN, June II.
DR.. Talmage's house is at the corner of
DeKalb avenue and South Oxford street. It
is four story and basement brown stone.
front ediice, the duplicate Of a dozen or
more houses in row with it, only that it has
little strip of green on the northwest and
a charming view of Washington park from
the DeKalb street windows. Clinging, lux
uriant vines creep over the building, q bird
sings in cage at an open window and striped
awnings futter in the sun on the South Ok
ford front. A low stone and iron fence pro-
tects the strip Of green and circles round to
the balustrades of the broad brown stone
steps. DR.. Talmage is the owner of the
property. and has occupied it for the past
eleven years in comfortable, transformations
way, here as in his ministerial work a man of
the people.
One would hardly, on first view, associate
DR.. Talmage with the ministry, and never
with its conventional types. There is not a
formal, orthodox line in his shrewd, kindly
face, nor theological curve in his raiInent.
He might be taken for farmer, physician,
lawyer, author, banker or merchant, yet his
personality is most unique. With shoulders
slightly dropping, in a dark, plain suit, turn
down collar and black bow, hair combed
brows and right hand outstretched, he walked
into the parlor of the house have described
and greeted me with hearty allow are
you?" The great preachers greeting is al
ways cordial to strangers and friends alike.
In short time Mrs. Talmage dropped in as
informally as her husband had done. She
must be model minister's wife, thought
cheerful, kindly and considerate to all about
her. Though she had just come in from the
street and her quiet, neat fitting costume was
we'll adapted thereto, it occurred to me that
most ministers wives gave more attention to
gaudy apparel than pleasant, matronly Mrs
Talmage. The lady may be 40 years old, but
does not look it. The doctor, as he has ex-
pressed it, is "16, SO far as my feelings go, but
the records make me S." Dr. Talmages
eldest daughter is married and living in
Brooklyn. He has five other children living,
one dead His only son is a student in
Williams college.
DR.. Talmage usually devotes Tuesdays and
Wednesdays to the preparation of his SER
mons, and the balance of the week is divided
up between the multifarious duties of pastoral
work ard private business. As his church
has 4, 500 communicants some estimate may
be made of the vast duties devolving upon
the pastor. Then he lectures about eighty
times year and is called upon to speak at
many meetings of secular character.
asked Mr.. Talmage to give me his main
idea of preaching and the services of the
church.
u have just one idea in preaching, and have
had that in mind for twenty-five years." the
doctor replied; sit is helpfulness. Every man
in this world who is not fool needs help. He
needs it because of domestic troubles, physi-
cal ailments, depression from overwork, and
thousand other things. start out with
that idea always in the preparation and de-
livery of sermons, and have found people will
come where they can get that help. There is
great sigh gong up from the world, and the
preacher should hear that sigh.
"The conyentionalities of the church and
of society are always killing. Naturalness
is simplicity. There should be nothing in a
church to make q man unnatural. Idon't
believe in putting on Sunday face to con-
form with Sunday dress. An ice house is
good thing, but people won't go there to
spend an evening.
~ believe in congregational singing. There
is nothing in the world can take the place of
that. Everybody, whether religious or not,
feels like doing something toward joining in
public. exercises If they attend and have a
chance. The singing of our congregation is
to me as inspiring as the boom Of cannon to
the soldier. But I believe in music as fine
art too, and seek to make efficient use of it
through our boy choir of the morning service
and by occasionally employing the best SOLO
ists Musical people cannot criticise good
congregational singing. The sweep and roll
of thousands of voices in the grand old hymns
our fathers sang is beyond criticism. A mid
die ground is highly Objectionable. Dreary,
draggy music is insufferable We were
greatly criticised for introducing cornet to
lead our congregation, you remember. Its
use has made our music what it isl
"What of the churches of the future, DIR.
Talmagem
II think the boundary lines between Chris
tians are rapidly crumbing away, They
don't amount to anything. The great mass
finger about sect divisions. have never
been able to get up any sectarian enthusiasm.
tried to cultivate it q good many years, but
had to give it up."
aWhat can you say about the work Of
Sunday schools"
u think the international series of Sunday
school lessons has brought about q wider
study of the Bible than formerly, but our
Sunday schools are deficient in what they
were not deficient forty years ago. Then the
Bible was committed to memory; now it is
not. When was q boy would sometimes
recite fifteen chapters verbatim. In conse-
quence misquotation is to me as the discord
is to the musician. To the Christian think
this familiarity with Scripture invaluable" !"
***
More people 20 to church now than ever
before the world over, DR.. Talmage thinks.
He says $50 young men connected them
selves with his church last winter. / asked
him if he would object to speaking about the
charge that he used the dramatic art in his
preaching. The doctors long lips parted in a
smile.
II never studied dramatic art" he said,
sand have not been inside theatre more
than three or four times in my life, SO can't
say what there is in this talk about my dra-
matte preaching. However, the most in
tensely dramatic literature the world has
ever known is tho Bible, and the dramatic
element in human nature is divinely i'm
planted. A great many actors and actresses
come to my church. ] ann glad of it.
hope they win continue to come"
The cordiality with which strangers are
greeted at the Tabernacle is marked. The
ushers are unceasing in their efforts to COM
fortably seat the thousands who throng the
place, or, If that is impossible, to find the
best standing room. Frequently pewholders
go away that strangers may remain. Iasked
Mr.. Talmage about his policy in this partic-
ular
II had occasion not long ago" he said, ito
thank our ushers for their excellent work.
told them we were glad to see they had the
three great requisites necessary for their du
ties: First. arfability; second. affabihty:
third, affability."
A parlor has just been completed as an adj
dition to the Tabernacle which, when thrown
open, win seat 1000 people. The original
amphitheatre, with its gallery, win seat and
stand 6 900, and is always crowded ~
Iasked view Of his study the other day. !
The preacher shook his head, laughing mega
tion. aMy study is in the attic, he said. athe